"Master, Archbishop Barney and Bishop Borin have just arrived at the planetary Portal via the Portal and are preparing to visit you!" Butler Heath entered the room quietly and reported with a bow.
"Prepare the ceremony. We'll greet them at the entrance!" Speaker Gould said with a smile, unable to hide his delight.
For Archbishop Barney to visit at this time—and to bring Bishop Borin with him—the meaning was obvious.
During this period, the Supreme Council of God's Great World and the Five Great Temples had seemed to be competing with one another.
The Five Great Temples handled all missions themselves, while the Supreme Council had firmly restrained the noble knights from participating in any missions, not even allowing them to provide assistance.
Under such circumstances, it came down to which side could hold out longer.
It seemed that the Five Great Temples had been the first to falter, giving the Supreme Council the advantage.
Had it been another archbishop, Speaker Gould could have treated him with less courtesy. But Archbishop Barney was different. Given his relationship with Bishop Borin, Gould had to show Barney sufficient respect.
A standard high-level reception was arranged. A ceremonial guard composed of Council knights stood in neat formation before the Supreme Council.
Speaker Gould changed into an ornate lord's robe and waited for Archbishop Barney with a smile on his face.
A carriage bearing the emblem of the Earth Temple arrived at the entrance, driven by a level-five divine official.
Archbishop Barney had brought no procession. He traveled lightly, with only a single level-five divine official as his guard. This showed his trust in Speaker Gould.
In truth, there was no danger at all on the journey from the Earth Temple to Shining Star. Archbishop Barney himself was a Legendary, and the Supreme Council